Day 71. 81km (78432kms 7yrs)

How lovely to wake up in a citrus grove and much on some kumquats to start your day! Though it began sunny it soon clouded over with low dark clouds. I packed away hurriedly frequently glancing up at the threatening sky.

At the time the rain was forecast I saw a cafe advertising wifi so stopped in the hope of dodging the wet weather. But it was only when I emerged 90 minutes later that the rain began. Initially it came in short bursts that I could duck out of, but eventually, near the ceramic-making town of Santo Stefano Di Camastra, it settled in.

I found a warm cheese and ham doughnut - I forget the Italian name - and looked to the sky for any indication the rain may abate. A Palestinian flag hung limply from a balcony underling the absolute stillness; this rain was here to stay.But I still had distance I wanted to cover. My feet were already wet so I proceeded along the coast, towards what became a brightening horizon.

From the road a distant beach bar looked to be a promising shelter for the night but on descending the very steep drive I found a solitary man seemingly working there. In a pointless attempt to hide my objective I took a photo before turning around to push Gibbo straight back up the hill.

Another few kilometres of coast and I was in view of Cefalù now. To my left the island rose steeply, to my right a narrow sandy beach with a few wooden buildings. I pushed Gibbo through the sand past a couple of vacant beach houses to a closed restaurant with a pretty garden. The grass was very wet of course so I set up camp on a patch of flat compacted sand beside what would be a beach bar a few weeks from now.

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#italy #sicily #cycling